Leaving is always a mix of emotions. This trip has been a long trip just in the cities and meetings alone. I am anxious to come home to my family. But in so many ways those in SE Asia are family too, and hard to leave.
As I watched the Children' s Day celebration I realized how much work went into what I was seeing (see last journal). Sure there was getting kids ready, learn their songs etc. But what really hit me was how hard the team works to help kids transform lives! It is no easy feat to work for a guy like me with such a huge vision and crazy set of new ideas. It "aint" easy!!!
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| Celebration of Appreciation |
My team is awesome, greater then we have ever been, and as I looked at all the work that the caregivers do "behind the scenes" those who often do not get the credit. You know the "moms"
I miss my mother! The older I get the more influence from her I recognize in my life. The caretakers of our homes I know are the same. Too often they do a thankless job.
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| Quang (maintenance), Toan , (housekeeping), Minh (security) |
Then there are those like the maintenance man who takes care of ALL the stuff that breaks down. The security guard who watches over our office after hours, making sure our computers and equipment are there when we get to work. And the lovely lady who cleans our office making sure it is always ready to receive guests.
I realized it was time to celebrate those who work behind the scenes! And we DID!! These house moms, and behind scenes folks showed up in their finest. Some I had a hard time recognizing. Dressed up and made up, they showed up at Madame Lang's, one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Danang.
I asked the GIBTK house managers to prepare a small gift and an envelope with a small bonus for each one. But more importantly I wanted each of the office team to prepare a 3 min. appreciation talk for each one they had direct contact with.
The results were way beyond my expectations. It is not something that happens in Vietnam culture. To be formally and directly appreciated in public by those you "work for". I wanted to change all this. We are all one team and each one of us is important to the final results!
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| Nhung experiencing affirming her coworker Xiem |
I guess I should have or could have guessed that for most part the caretakers would have a tough time receiving the individual praise. They would look up, away to the side anywhere to try and not feel the emotion of being appreciated. To not let tears flow (guys especially)
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| Tu with Lanh |
My guess is for probably way to many it was the first time someone individually praised them much less in public! Seeing the looks in the eyes while they watched another get praised was overwhelming, much like I feel right now. This emotion jumping to the top of my throat ready to burst into tears. Many of the moms did cry. The guys... well you know guys. They just kept looking up at the ceiling with hard to hide smiles.
What came a bit unexpected was the flow of emotions from the house managers as they spoke into the lives of their house moms! My office team cried. Though they did best to hold it together they all "lost" it. It is hard to stop and recognize how much we care for others. To stop and look into someone's eyes and say thank you! I must admit the past few days made me think of some I needed to contact and apologize too. Or make the relationship different since it had come on tough times. Others there are those I need to call and thank them for being who they are. Maybe those closest to me who I don't mean to not appreciate yet I do.
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| We even celebrated our teacher To's birthday |
I really wish I could stop and look each of you who read my typed words. Those who give credibility to my writing, pray for my travels and my family. Those who encourage and strengthen me to go to the next hotel, the next city.
I really wish I could do it in person. Can I ask you to stop for a moment? To pretend we are sitting together, me looking directly into your eyes and may I say from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!!!!
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| my hero! Dao Quoc Thanh Hals home resident on his University graduation! |
Before I close out another trip I'd like to share about one more example of what you, gibtk, and these precious "behind the scenes" folks accomplished. Yesterday one of the young men from Hals Home graduated University!!! YEAH GOD!!!!!
In closing may I invite you to come and see? Come on a trip this year. We have a trip the last couple weeks of July. My family will be here as well and hopefully a couple other teens and YOU!!!
Email me if interested
So until I do get the chance to say this in person, THANK YOU!!!!
><((((º> BBlessed
www.gibtk.org
Robert Kalatschan
Giving It Back To Kids
